WHAT IS COUNTRY RAP INSIDER?
Country Rap Insider is a media outlet focused on reporting the news of the COUNTRY RAP genre. Some also call it Hick Hop, Country Hip Hop, Trailer Trap and others, the names are endless. But one thing is certain, the music represents a lifestyle and CRI is here to cover it.
WHO AM I?
My name is Freddie Schutte and I love country rap and the lifestyle surrounding it. As a writer and mega-fan of the genre, I’ve been lucky enough to meet most of these great country rap artists at events across the country getting to know them, their band, managers and record label folks.
My goal is to be the most informative and ACCURATE source for news in the genre. I will not be reading instagram posts and speculating on what I “think” is happening. I will reach out and confirm before posting. Any numbers or data I post will be backed up by sources. And if I do happen to get something wrong, please feel free to call me out on my bullshit in the comments section or via my contact form.
WHO IS A “COUNTRY RAPPER”?
The debate never stops. Who is a country rapper and who is not? Some claim it, but are NOT. Some think they aren’t, but are. And who decides? I guess the best way to tell is by going to Spotify and seeing who your “fans also like”. If it’s a bunch of country rappers, then you are probably a country rapper.
But we also have to remember this is bigger than the music. It’s an attitude. It’s a lifestyle. There are lots of factors bigger than just mentioning mud and trucks.And since there isn’t a guide book, I’m gonna make the rules right now. Don’t agree? It’s my blog, so F#@K off!
#1 – You have to RAP. That should be a given. It’s ok to sing too and lots you guys can sing as well as you can rap. We love seeing all your skills, but make sure your primary weapon of choice is your rhymes.
#2 – You have to be COUNTRY. You don’t really need to live on a dirt road in the middle of the woods but your state of mind and content needs to be COUNTRY.
#3 – You have to be from the post RAP MUSIC era. So old school country spoken word or recitation artists are OUT. Sorry Johnny Cash, as much as we would love to have you in the genre you do NOT qualify. Nor does Jerry Reed or even Charlie Daniels. And that also includes Woody Guthrie so wikipedia please take that bullshit down.
#4 – Traditional rappers from southern cities do not qualify. These are called SOUTHERN RAPPERS, not COUNTRY RAPPERS. I love me some UGK (RIP Pimp C) and I’m not saying you’re not COUNTRY, but there are too many street references for you to be COUNTRY MUSIC RAPPERS. Not that you even want to be. That also goes for Nelly, Outkast and more.
#5 – 75% of your songs need to have country lifestyle references. So you can’t do a few country style songs and try to join the genre. People forget Sir Mix-A-Lot dropped “Square Dance Rap” well before “Baby Got Back”. Love ya Mix-A-Lot, but you are out! It’s ok to experiment but keep it to a minimum. Upchurch did a rock album and Colt Ford likes to do all singing songs every once in a while. That’s all cool. Just make sure you keep the bulk of your catalogue doing “in-genre” material.
#6 – We welcome traditional guys who want to join the genre. Most of the older country rappers were traditional rappers as before Average Joes made it an actual genre, they just didn’t have any other way to expose their skills. Yes we had Bubba Sparxxx, Haystak and Cowboy Troy but at the time they all felt like special moments and not genre-forming. Colt Ford, The Lacs, SMO and many more have some non-country rap songs in their pre-country rap catalogue. They were always country guys, they just didn’t have the lane until 2008. So if you are COUNTRY and want to finally be yourself, come on. Just stay when you get here and get over that 75% minimum.
Let’s get going…